Automatic door with biased open and manually closed external partial door

Abstract

A door assembly may include a first sidelite, a second sidelite where the first and second sidelites are disposed in a common plane and defining a door opening between the first and second sidelites, a first sliding panel, a second sliding panel where the first and second sliding panels are movable from a closed position disposing the first and second sliding panels to block access through the door opening and an open position in which the first sliding panel is proximate the first sidelite and the second sliding panel is proximate the second sidelite, and are disposed in a second plane parallel to the common plane in both the open and closed position, a first partial door panel disposed in a third plane opposite the second plate relative to the common plane, and a second partial door panel disposed in the third plane.

That which is claimed: 
     
       1. A door assembly comprising:
 a first sidelite configured to be operably coupled to a first doorjamb; 
 a second sidelite configured to be operably coupled to a second doorjamb, the first and second sidelites disposed in a common plane and defining a door opening between the first and second sidelites; 
 a first sliding panel; 
 a second sliding panel, the first and second sliding panels movable from a closed position disposing the first and second sliding panels to block access through the door opening and an open position in which the first sliding panel is proximate the first sidelite and the second sliding panel is proximate the second sidelite, the first and second sliding panels disposed in a second plane parallel to the common plane in both the open and closed position; 
 a first partial door panel disposed in a third plane opposite the second plane relative to the common plane; and 
 a second partial door panel disposed in the third plane, the first and second partial door panels movable from being a closed state in which the first and second partial door panels at least partially block access through the door opening and an open state in which the first partial door panel is proximate the first sidelite and the second partial door panel is proximate the second sidelite, 
 wherein the first and second partial door panels are each operably coupled to a biasing assembly that biases the first and second partial door panels toward the open state, 
 wherein the first and second partial door panels are configured to be transitioned to the closed state by manual operation against a force of the biasing assembly, 
 wherein each of the first and second partial door panels is simultaneously automatically transitioned to the open state when not restrained, 
 wherein each of the first and second partial door panels is also simultaneously moved toward the closed state manually by an operator closing either the first partial door panel or the second partial door panel, 
 wherein the first and second partial door panels are simultaneously transitioned to the open state via a first spring motor and a second spring motor, respectively, and 
 wherein the first and second spring motors are operably coupled to each other to synchronize movement toward the closed state when manually moved to the closed state. 
 
     
     
       2. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial door panels are each supported from above by an overhead wheel carrier assembly and below by an inverted slide assembly. 
     
     
       3. The door assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the inverted slide assembly comprises an inverted U shaped channel disposed at a bottom portion of a respective one of the first and second partial door panels, and a track slider disposed below the door assembly to extend upward to slidably engage the inverted U shaped track as the respective one of the first and second partial door panels slides between the open state and the closed state. 
     
     
       4. The door assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the overhead wheel carrier assembly is operably coupled to the biasing assembly and one or more wheels of the overhead wheel carrier assembly are operably coupled to a track or bar to enable the overhead wheel carrier assembly to carry the respective one of the first and second partial door panels between the open and closed state. 
     
     
       5. The door assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the overhead wheel carrier assembly is disposed in an overhead support assembly disposed proximate an upper frame member of the door assembly. 
     
     
       6. The door assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a spring motor and a linking member operably coupling the spring motor to the one or more wheels to pull the one or more wheels toward the open state. 
     
     
       7. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a lock assembly retains the first and second partial door panels proximate to each other against a biasing force of the biasing assembly in the closed state. 
     
     
       8. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial door panels, respectively, are spaced apart from, and not connected to, the first and second sidelites such that support of the first and second partial door panels is independent of the first and second sidelites. 
     
     
       9. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial door panels are supported for sliding in the third plane only by support components that are also disposed in the third plane. 
     
     
       10. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second partial door panels are each substantially C-shaped. 
     
     
       11. The door assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second partial door panels each include a lower extension portion and an upper extension portion disposed opposite a gap portion that forms a service window when the first and second partial door panels are in the closed state. 
     
     
       12. The door assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a lock assembly retains the first and second partial door panels proximate to each other against a biasing force of the biasing assembly in the closed state, and
 wherein the lock assembly is disposed at a portion of the first partial door panel that faces a corresponding portion of the second partial door panel to engage the first and second partial door panels to each other. 
 
     
     
       13. The door assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a stainless steel cap is disposed at a top portion of the lower extension portion of each of the first and second partial door panels. 
     
     
       14. The door assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a handle is disposed at an interior side of each of the first and second partial door panels, and
 wherein the handle extends into a space formed between the first and second partial door panels and the first and second sidelites, respectively. 
 
     
     
       15. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sliding panels are automatically operable to transition from the closed position to the open position responsive to a trigger signal from a sensor assembly. 
     
     
       16. The door assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a light curtain sensor disposed above the door opening to provide the trigger signal responsive to detecting an object approaching or in the door opening. 
     
     
       17. The door assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a set of vertical light sensors proximate to opposite lateral sides of a top portion of the door opening, the vertical light sensors providing a beam directed downward, the vertical light sensors generating the trigger signal responsive to interruption of the beam at any height between the vertical light sensors and a base upon which the door assembly is disposed. 
     
     
       18. The door assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the first and second sidelites is approximately equal to a width of each of the first and second sliding panels and the first and second partial door panels.